STILLWATER, Okla. >> It quickly is eroding into the sort of season in which the development of young talent will be more critical to the future of Colorado basketball than making noise in the Big 12.

In that light, Bangot Dak continues to make strides.

The sophomore forward once again was Mr. Bright Spot for the Buffaloes during an 83-73 loss on Saturday at Oklahoma State, a defeat that dropped CU to 0-6 in the Big 12.

Coming off a performance against Cincinnati in which he scored a career-high 19 points, matched a career-high with eight rebounds, and recorded the third-highest blocked shot total in team history with eight, Dak once again filled up the stat sheet at Oklahoma State.

Getting his second consecutive start, Dak finished 6-for-8 with team-highs of 15 points and five rebounds. Dak also had two assists with only two turnovers in 26 minutes, 27 seconds of action. Dak owns four double-digit scoring efforts this season, and he has posted three of them over the past four games, going 17-for-26 (.654) from the field and 11-for-15 on free throws during that span.

The 6-foot-11 Dak also had only three blocked shots through the first seven games of the season, recording all three in the third game of the year against Cal State Fullerton. With a blocked shot at OSU, Dak has recorded 19 blocks in the past 10 games.

“I feel a lot more comfortable playing out there,” Dak said. “I just feel like that’s something that was going to happen as the season went on. We start winning, it’ll feel a lot better.”

Personnel updates

RJ Smith and Elijah Malone returned to the mix after both players were sidelined for the second half of a loss against West Virginia before missing the entire game on Wednesday against Cincinnati.

Smith resumed his starting role but scored only two points, going 0-for-2 on 3-pointers to give him a 1-for-12 mark from the arc over his past four games.

Malone, who had been battling a back issue, went 2-for-3 from the floor and 5-for-6 on free throws, finishing with nine points. It was Malone’s top scoring effort in Big 12 play. Malone, though, came off the bench for the first time this season, and head coach Tad Boyle used his seventh different starting lineup in 17 games. CU used six different starting lineups in 37 games last year.

Notable

A moment of silence was held prior to the game in remembrance of those killed in a Jan. 27, 2001 plane crash following an Oklahoma State-CU game in Boulder. The accident killed two OSU student-athletes, seven staff members and the pilot. … CU reserve guard Courtney Anderson did not make the trip after suffering a minor injury at practice this week. Boyle said it isn’t believed to be a long-term issue. … Buffs point guard Julian Hammond III finished with more turnovers (four) than assists (two) for the third consecutive game. In those three games Hammond has recorded four assists with 11 turnovers. … Starting forward Assane Diop fouled out for the first time in his career. Diop logged just 7:58 of playing time, finishing with no points and one rebound. … Freshman Sebastian Rancik matched a season-high with 11 points. … The Buffs have finished with more turnovers than assists in five of six Big 12 games. CU had more turnovers than assists just twice in 11 nonconference games. … OSU forward Patrick Suemnick posted just 11 points total in the Cowboys’ first five Big 12 games. Suemnick scored 10 against the Buffs.